Improvement in construction of baling-presses



UNITED STATES PATENT Ormea F. F. CORNELL, JR., OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN CONSTRUCTION OF BALING-PRESSES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 50,798, dated November 7, 1865.

To all whom it may concern:

Beitknown that I, FREDERICK F. CORNELL, Jr., of the city and county of New York, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements iu the Construction and Mode ot' Operating Ealing-Presses; and

I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

In constructing a press to bale any fibrous substance by pressure it is essential to eiective operation that the press box or chamber, when closed upon its contents for the purpose of applying the compressing-power, should be free from open spaces. rIhis end was originally obtained by the use of a screw operating on the center ot' the platform and forcing the platen up into the chamber; but this plan being far too slow for the economlcal dispatch of business when much packing had to be done, it is now almost entirely abandoned, because of the greater' quickness and facility in the work afforded by those presses which are operated by the toggle system of levers. In examining balingpresses thus operated, however, it will be seen that the close chamber, as used in the screw-press, has been sacrificed to the greater speed of operation and saving of power effected by the toggle-lever press, and that, in fact, such presses have been built apparently with a total disregard of the manifest advantages of the close chamber, as though expedition in the process of baling was paramount to all other considerations.

Lever-presses as heretofore constructed may be divided into two classes. Inv the first or more primitive style of these the lever or levers are immediately under the platen and act directly upward against it; but in the second class the levers are placed outside of the press, at thelower part ofthe framing, and are caused to act upon the platform by bein g jointed to the outer ends of the lifting-beam upon which the platen rests, which outer ends of the liftingbeam have to project for this purpose through the side framingof the press, and also through the sides of the press box or chamber. An open slot or space is accordingly left in each side of the press-box for the lifting-beam to move in for the whole length of its traverse. In the said rst class of presses two opposite sides ofthe chamber, for nearly the whole width, have to be left open, so as to afford necessary space for the operation ot' the levers in moving the platen, while in the second class this evil is so far diminished as'to require the space to be no wider than is necessary for the thickness of the lifting-beam of the platen. The practical results of this mode of construction are these: On filling the press-chamber With the material to be baled such material will be forced through or into the aforesaid openings or spaces by the action of the platen, thereby making loose appendages to the bale, known to the trade as ears,77 which are very objectionable, on account of the great waste they occasion in the handling ot' the bales, as well as because of the additional room they require in stowing and transportation. Again, if, in lling the chamber, the material is carefully placed in it, so as to keep it away from the said openings as much as possible, a bale may be formed that will be free, or nearly so, from these objectionable appendages; but such bale will be of uneven density and of less weight than what is due to the capacity and powcrot` the press, which is also regarded as a great objection by the trade and dealers generally.

It is impossible to use either ot' the said modes of construction in combination with a beater, as the descent of the beater in the chamber causes the air to rush out with such force through the said openings as to carry a large portion of the loose material out ot' the press with it, while at the same time the force of the blow given by the beater would impact a portion of thesaid material so tightly into the said side openings that the bale could not be removed in a finished state from such chamber without previously taking the press to pieces.

' To remedy these difficulties I have constructed a baling-press with traveling sides secured to the platen, thereby making a close chamber, the side openings before referred to being effectually closed up, the top ends ot' the toggle-levers being jointed to the upper ends of the traveling sides of the platen, thus using the said sides as lifting-bars for the platen,for which improvement in baling-presses a patent of the United States was issued to me on the 23d day of May, 1865,

To obtain the advantages of a close cham` ber, (the import-ance of which I have just recited,) whereby I can dispense with the traveling sides, which have already been patented to me, is the object of the first part ot' the present invention, and this I accomplish by the employment or use of bars or strips of metal or other suitable material, arranged and l0- cated between the posts ot' the framing so that their inner faces shall be iiush, or nearly flush, with the inner surface of the press box or chamber, said bars or strips being connected at one end to the platen or follower, and being connected at their other end, or at someintermediate point of their length, to the upper end of the toggle-levers, whereby I obtain a close press-box and retain the advantages of a connection between the toggle-levers and the platen or follower.

My invention also relates to the manner of fastening and connecting the lower ends of the bars or strips to the follower or platen, as will be hereinafter described.

My invention also relates to a new and peculiar arrangement of the fulcrum-points of the radii of the toggle-levers, in combination with a framing exterior to the press-chamber, containing sheaves to carry the chains, which operate said levers, around the chamber and deliver them in a position proper for winding .":namely, the fact that the plane of the motion vot' the lower ends ot' the toggle-levers is always the same or below, never above, theplane ot' the base of the press-box-and compelling the erection ofthe power on a door below the door on which the bale is delivered. In this press, however, the power may be as readily situated on the same ioor with the delivery of the bale, or on a floor above, if desired, as in side-hill buildings. y

My invention also relates to a peculiar construction ot' the lower part of the press, whereby the press-box can be extended below the plane ot' the motion of the lower ends of the toggle-levers, and whereby the pressed bale may be delivered from the press on the plane of the capstan, or lower, which greatly facilitates'the operation ot' baling.

My invention also relates to certain mechanism for retaining the beater to make it serve as a head-block or cope to the press.

My invention also relates to certain mechanism employed, for throwing open the feeddoor of the press for the purpose of enabling an operator to throw the desired quantity of hay or other substance to be pressed into the press-box during the ascent of the beater.

My invention also relates to the means employed for immediately liberating the beater after it has served its purpose as a head-block during the compressing ot' the bale.

To enable others to understand my invention and construct a press accordingly thereto, I will proceed to describe the same, reference being had to the accompanying' drawings, in which- Figure l, Sheet 1, is a perspective view of a baling-press constructed according to my invention. Fig. 2, Sheet 2, is a front elevation ot' the saine. Fig. 3, Sheet 2, is an end elevation. Fig. 4, Sheet 2, is a longitudinal vertical section, taken in the plane of the line x x, Fig. 3. Fig. 5, Sheet 2, is also a longitudinal vertical section, taken in the plane of the line y y, Fig. 2. Fig. 6, Sheet I, is a transverse section, taken in the plane ofthe line z a, Fig. 2. Fig. 7, Sheet l, is a plan view of the mechanism for securing the beater toV make it serve as a head-block or cope against which to press.

Similar letters indicate like parts in the several iigures.

Upon the ground-sills A A, I place the transverse sills B B, and into these I frame the corner-posts C C, which I further secure together by the cross-framing D D D D.

To the posts, at any desired height from the sills B B, I secure the horizontal lever-sills E E and the sheave-frame F F F, and at a suitable heightabove the same, to receive the pressure ofthe beater when used as a head-block, I also secure to the posts the horizontal headbeams Gr G.

Upon the lever-sills E E, I place the fnl- Crum-points ot' the radii of the toggle-levers,

or they may be placed upon the sheave-beams F F at the ends ot' the press, and these headbeams and lever-sills or sheave-t'rame I bind together by means ot' the bolts (t t ci a; or, instead of securing the lever-sills and sheaveframe to the posts, they may rest upon the tioor ot' the building, or upon a suitable foundation, and in that case would only be attached to the press by means of the bolts a a a a. In this last mode ot' construction the lever-sills are properly dispensed with, the sheave-beams serving in their stead.

In the sheave-beams at the end of the press I so place a sheave that'the draft on the lower end ofthe lever is always in the same plane and same line; and between these end beams I frame a cross-beam with two sheaves in the center, and far enough apart to admit the two chains attached to the levers, and at such a distance from the press as to allow the chains d d to draw against the guide-sheaves d d d d and clear the press-chamber, and thus be carried around it, as shown in Fig. 6, Sheet 1.

In case the power is located above the plane ofthe door where the bale is delivered, the headbeams Gr Gr may be dispensed with, and the lever-sills E E be made to resist the beater when used as a head-block, all of which is clearly shown in the accompanying drawings, and particularly in Figs. and 6 on Sheet l.

By this construction I am enabled to extend the press-box down to the sills A A. The lower part ot' this press-box answers the purpose of a packing-chamber, and inasmuch as I construct it with closed sides all around (as will be hereinafter explained) the hay or other suhstance beat or compacted in this box cannot be forced out, as with ordinary presses, to form knots or ears, such as I have heretofore mentioned as being a great hin derance to rapid baling and pressing. The hay is thus beaten or compacted in a chamber below the point where it is usual in ordinary presses to locate the bottom of the press-box. .i

The packing-chamber H H is furnished with front and back doors, J J, together with the necessary hinges and latches or fastenings, as usual in baling-presses; it is alsofurnished with the top door, K, through which the chamber is filled with the material to he baled.

The beater I is operated by a cord or chain, e, passing over the sheaves l', to which power is applied in the usual way. The beater or cope I is provided with a holding mechanism (which will be presently explained) when it is desired to have it perform the oice ot' a head-block for the press.

M M are the bars or strips I employ for a connection between the follower and the togglelevers in order to obtain a close press-box. These bars or strips may be made of metal or other suitable material7 and there may be one or more at each end ot' the press, as expediency may suggest. These bars or strips are placed between the upright posts of the frame in such manner that they will till up or occupy all or nearly all the space that is usually left between the said posts, and thus a close press-box is formed for the whole and more than the whole extent ot' the traverse of the platen or follower. Upon the lower ends ot' these bars or strips lugs or feet a a are formed, ou which the platen or follower rests 5 and each pair of these lugs are connected to those opposite by rodsf, as shown clearly in Fig. 4, in order to strengthen them and to form a better carriage for the platen or follower to rest upon, as well as to prevent an)v uneven pressure of the material in the press-box from crowding them out of place, or in any manner that would create much friction. In the example illustrated in the drawings these bars or strips M. M', which I shall call suspensiou-rods, are let into grooves made for that purpose in the interior sides of the chamber, as shown at g g, Fig. 6, Sheet 1, which is the arrangement l prefer; but instead ot' grooves there may be slots or spaces of the necessary width cut or made through the sides ot' the chamber for their reception, or thin bars may be used for this purpose, and made to stand liatwise against the insides ofthe chamber. These rods or bars should `extend to a point above the top of the packing-chamber, but a less height will answer, and at or near their top ends I make upon each of them a projecting lug,h, so as to extend completely through the side of the chamber, and to these lugs I attach the top ends of the toggle-levers c c c c, (shown particularly at h h, Fig. 4, Sheet 2,) there being a slot or long narrow opening, j, made through the chamber for each ot'said lugs to project through, of sufticient length for the whole traverse ot' the suspension-rods, and upon each ot' said rods, immediately at the sides of the said lugs, to the interior sidc ofthe chamber, I attach projecting flanges k, (shown in Fig. 5, sheet 2,) so as to form bearings for the said rods upon the inner sides of the chamber, to resist the outward strain upon the rods by the action ofthe toggle-levers c c c c.

The cope I, as has been stated, is also made to act as a beater while lling the press, and is furnished with a mechanism by which it is held in position, when used as cope, so as to resist the upward pressure of the platen, which mechanism is disengaged automatically when it is to be used as a beater. This mechanism is shown in Fig. 7, Sheet l, N being a swinging bar which is attached to the top ot' the cope by the pivotcd eyebolt l, and is swung around by hand, when it is to be secured so as to serve as a cope, into the position N', (shown by dotted lines,) when the packing-chamber is filled sutciently to support it at the proper height, in which position the projecting ends of the bar N will take under the cross-framing G G ot' the press, thus effectually holding the cope in position 5 but when the cope is to be operated as a beater it is only necessary to draw upon the lifting cord or rope e, which will automatically swing` the bar N into the posi! tion shown by full lines in Fig. 7, Sheet l, by means of the second cord, m, attached to the bar N at the point a, and from thence passing around the horizontal sheave o and vertical sheave o to its connection with the lifting-rope e at the point p. In the position ot' the parts as shown in Fig. 7 the lifting-rope c is in a direct line from the eyebolt L to the sheave e. Vhile the parts are in this position the point ot' attachmentp ot' the lifting-rope e is drawn down by the overhauling of the cord m in swinging the bar N by hand into the position N, (shown by dotted lines,) thus causing a slack in the lifting-rope e between the pointp and the eyebolt l. Accordingly, when the ropeeis drawn taut, to'lit't the cope I its first action will he to take up this slack, thereby hauling on the cord m and releasing the bar N from catch with the cross-framing G G, by which arrangement, also, the bar N can never get into catch till required.

In filling the packing-chamber H H it is necessary to close the door K bei'ore the beater descends, which operation in some baling-I presses is done automatically by the action of the heater; but as such autolnatic movement is not attended with any saving of timeor door K so as to engage with the pivoted latches rr attached `to the side cheeks of the door. Ihe outer ends ot' these latches are connected with the arms s s on the rocker-shaft tby means of the link-rods u u. Upon the inner side of this rocker-shaft is an arm, o, placed so as to be struck by or engage with the outer end of the small lever ze, attached to the top of the cope or beater I, and by which the rocker-shaft is partly rotated on the descent of the beater, so as to put the latches o' i" out ot' catch with the bar q, when, by means of its own gravity or the recoil of a small spring, the door K will immediately fall open, so as to be ready at the earliest proper moment i'or the reception of additional material to the chamber.

If the links u u are not heavy enough to reset the latches i' i", this may be accomplished by the additional arm and tumbling-weight fr,

' attached to the rocker-shaft t. The short 1ever w, attached to the top of the beater, is so hung on its pivot as to act as a fixed arm in its downward passage with the beater, its inner endbeing made to rest on the top of the beater, thereby enabling it, in its downward motion, to press down the inner end ot' the rocker-arm o, causing it to move sufficiently while passing to liberate the latches i r,- but in its upward passage this lever will be tipped by the arm o of the rocker, thus passing it without producing` any motion of the rocker, the greater weight of the inner portion ofthe lever w causing it to recover its proper position immediately after it has passed the arm o, and as the arm u has to project a short distance over the inner edge of the packing-cham ber, so as to enga-ge with the lever w, a small groove is made in the cope or beater Lunder the lever w, as shown at y, Figs. l and 7, Sheet l l, and Fig. 5, Sheet 2.

On finishing the bale it is important to have a ready means of removing it from the press, and for this purpose it is necessary to relieve it from lateral and vertical pressure, which I accomplish in the following manner: I make a side door in the chamber ot' the press opposite to the place ofthe finished bale, as shown at I), Figs. 3 and 4, Sheet 2, and which has a joint or hinge, z, upon its top edge, and nearer its lower edge a transverse bar, 1)', Fig. 4t, Sheet 2, to strengthen it crosswise. This door is kept closed while the chamber is being filled, and during the process o1" compression, by means of the sliders (shown in dotted lines at a' a', Fig. 3, Sheet 2) being placed behind the transverse bar D, both sliders being operated simultaneously by the lever b and connecting link-rod t', Fig. 3, Sheet 2. Upon elevating the platen Lto the full height, or nearly so, I

lock it in position by the sliding bolts d and d", theleverf connecting, by means ofthelinkrod g', with the hand-lever h on the rockershaft c, which also carries the arm fm, working in a slotin the head of the sliding bolt d", by which arrangement both sliding bolts are operated simultaneously on moving the handlever h. The platen, on having attained its full elevation, or nearly so, is thus secured in position when the operating-ropes d d of the toggle-levers are slacked up a little, which will cause the weight of the toggle-levers to, hang in part upon the suspension-rods M and M, and the rods at M beingjointed at their lower part, as at n', Fig. 4, Sheet 2, the foot ot the rods under the platen L will turn on their joint-pin n, and thus throw the joint a and suspension-rods M outward from the bale, effectually relieving the bale from all lateral pressure. On cording the bale the platen is lowered sufficient-ly to permit the removal ot' the bale from the press, when the platen may be rundown to thebottom ofthe chamber. The lower doors being then closed and the cope elevated, the operation of forming a bale may be again commenced.

In constructing baling-presses upon the plan or in the manner herein described I do not limit myself to the exact details herein stated, butclaim therightto use all mechanical equivalents therefor, or to use fewer or more of the parts mentioned, as may be considered advisable, or to enlarge or reduce the dimensions of the several parts or the proportions ot' the said parts or of the different parts of the press as a whole, as may be required, so long as I retain the principles ot' my invention.

Having thus described the nature, construction, and mode otl operation of my improved baling-press, what I claim therein as my own invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. Forming a close press box or chamber by the employment or use ot bars or strips of' metal or other material placed between the upright posts of the framing and working in suitable guides, and arranged so that theirinner faces will be flush or nearly flush with the interior surface of the press box or chamber, and connected to the platen or follower and to the toggle-levers, and operating substantially as and for the purpose herein specitied.

2. Forming feet or lugs n n upon thelower ends of the bars or strips M M', and connecting together each pair of the rods f, substantially as and for the purposes herein shown and described.

3. The use, in a toggle-lever press, of the 1ever-sills E E and sheave-frame F F F, and guide-sheave d d d d, so arranged as to form a secure foundation for the fulcrnm-points of the radii of the toggle-levers, and at the same time yprovide a means of carrying the chains d d varound the press-chamber, so that the plane of the motion of the lower ends of the togglelevers, and of the capstan used for Winding the 6. The use of mechanism for opening the chains connected with the same, maybe placed feed-door automatically, substantially as deat any required height above the base of the scribed.

press-chamber, substantially as and for the 7 The use of mechanism for liberating the purposes herein specified. cope automatically from the xed position, so 4. The joints in the lower part of the susas to be used as a beater, by the action ofthe pension-rods, in combination with a side door lifting-rope, substantially as described.

or doors for liberating the bale from lateral t pressure, substantially as described. F' F' CORNELL JR' 5. The use of mechanism for retaining and Witnesses:

liberating the platen on finishing the bale, sub- A. B. MALCOMSON, Jr.,

stantially as described. ANDREW I. TODD. 

